Tag Archives: Jewish Genealogy

New look, new editor, same bear!! Kosher Koala has had a facelift but we hope you’ll find the same fascinating features, interesting interviews and non-stop news, views, tips and tricks to guide you along your genealogical journey.

In this issue… We say farewell to outgoing editor Robyn Dryen (don’t worry, she’s still President!!), welcome new editor Dani Haski, Sunny Gold reviews Peter Nash’s memoir Escape from Berlin: A refugee flees anti-Semitism and the Holocaust of WWII to Shanghai and then Australia and we explore a fascinating collection of stories about cemeteries. We have updates on the 2018 AIJGS conference in Poland, a new column, Sledgehammer, for people to share brick wall breakthroughs and information on special events and workshops for 2018.

We love our members contributing stories to Kosher Koala. If you have any stories you’d like to share email them to me at ed@ajgs.org.au

The organisers of the 38th IAJGS Conference in Warsaw, Poland in 2018 have announced their call for papers.

Organisers are particularly interested in lectures and presentations that help delegates…

View their Jewish family history within a historical context. Lecturers are encouraged to include clips of film and/or PowerPoint presentations to provide a multi-media presentation grounded in history.

Actively explore and Interact with the experts and databases available throughout European and online arenas. Presenters covering websites should be prepared to do live demonstrations or offer computer workshops at our conference. New topics and presentations will be preferred over those offered at prior conferences; however, relevance to our visit to Europe will be considered.

Develop experience preserving and sharing genealogy with their family and landsleit (neighbors from the same town). We encourage proposing sessions on interviewing, accumulating data, and sharing with family through creative means.

Presentations and panel discussions will generally be scheduled for 60 minutes, which includes 15 minutes of questions.

Hands-on Computer Workshops will be two hours in length and limited to 25 participants each owing to room constraints.

Prospective presenters can submit any number of proposals however the organisers have stated they will generally choose up to three proposals per person to allow for a diversity of voices to be heard in the limited time available.

Sometimes a story comes to light that genealogically speaking just warms your cockles. In late September Sarah Waddington, of The Herald in Plymouth, England, reported on a chance discovery by a local man that has turned into a genealogical gem for those with ancestors in the area – a 300 year old Jewish cemetery.

Jerry Sibley, the Synagogue caretaker (himself not Jewish), discovered, behind a high wall and a locked door, the original resting place of the early jewish inhabitants of Plymouth. How this cemetery got “lost” is unknown but few in the area seemed to know of its existence.

As Sarah writes in The Herald: “After seeing a reference to The Old Jewish Cemetery on Lambhay Hill, Jerry went in search of it – but was still unsuccessful. That’s when he used his initiative and utilised Google Maps.

“I started to look at every single plot on the road,” he said, “and that is when I noticed there were three legs to Lambhay Hill, not just the two, and eventually I found this lovely green spot that seemed to be nothing. I thought, ‘Well, it is a very good chance it is going to be there.

“I really zoomed in on it and you could just make out a couple of the headstones, so from there I came up to take a look, but I could not get in, so the treasurer at the time gave me a whole box of keys and said, ‘Help yourself’.

Jerry eventually managed to find the right key, and what he discovered when he opened the door stopped him in his tracks.”

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Plymouth (Image: Sarah Waddington, Plymouth Herald; used with permission)

The folk from Ripple Theatre, a local theatre group, helped Jerry clear the site of weeds and trees and then recorded dramatised histories of the “residents” of the cemetery as an audio trail, just in time for the Plymouth Art Weekend. Their efforts have created a valuable and lasting legacy for historians, descendants and those who are just plain curious about those buried on Lambhay Hill.

Joining them at rest now is Barney, Jerry’s cat: “He took to life at the Synagogue like nothing like I’ve ever come across before. Not only did he used to sit in the vestry beside the door and watch the people coming in and out, but he always used to follow me to work and come with me to the services. He was a black and white cat and of course the men are all dressed in black and white, so he really did blend in. But Barney passed away at Easter, which in the Jewish calender is Passover – so he really did pass over at Passover.”

When Barney passed away Jerry obtained permission to bury him inside the cemetery grounds. As is the Jewish custom visitors have honoured Barney as they have the others buried there by placing stones on his grave.

You can read the whole story, and watch a video interview with Jerry Sibley, HERE at The Herald.

It’s been a while since our last issue of Kosher Koala but it’s finally here… and worth the wait.

Society President, Robyn Dryen, gives her ‘State of the Society’ report, outlining the various successes and challenges faced by AJGS last year. Di Edelman outlines a fascinating family story in The WACHMANs– three Lithuanian Jewish families – obviously connected but how? Can you help solve this family mystery? Evelyn Frybort shares her experience of touring China, with a distinctly Jewish flavour; and Dianne Johnstone recounts the moving experience of “hearing the voice” of her 3rd great grandfather, Barnet Lazer, when she had the chance to view original letters written over a century ago.

This edition is the final issue under the editorship Robyn Dryen, and is jam packed with fascinating stories, useful information and handy links to help you on your genealogical journey. Just click on the cover image above to read the latest edition.

With great fanfare IAJGS formally announced the 2018 conference will be hosted at the beautiful new POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, cohosted by the Emmanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute

This is the first time the conference has been held in Eastern Europe.
For more information click on the image below.

Lots of participants are blogging their conference experience – Extra Yad are posting a running compendium of daily blogs on their own blog.

The conference is also running an interactive webcast program called IAJGS Live! with live and on-demand sessions. A subscription costs US$149.00. However, given the time difference between Australia and Orlando, Australians are at a disadvantage for the live broadcasts.

AJGS ran a hugely successful Sunday workshop on July 23rd at Waverley Library. Over 20 people attended. AJGS president Robyn Dryen gave a hugely informative talk on getting the most out of Jewishgen.

AJGS and Waverley Library are keen to run more workshops in the Eastern Suburbs so keep an eye out for further announcements. The next scheduled Eastern Suburbs workshop is October 29. Click HERE for more details.

If there are any particular subjects you would like us to organise a talk on please comment below.

Between 3pm and 4pm there will be an exploration of the many and varied facets of JewishGen, one of the most comprehensive Jewish Genealogical websites. If you have any questions about navigating or getting the most out of this resource here’s your chance to ask them.

Before and after this talk you can get help and explore our resources. If you have any particular resources you’d like brought over from Lindfield email us at society@ajgs.org.au.

Another Eastern Suburbs workshop will be held at Waverley Library on October 29.

So we know how many people may be coming along please RSVP for the July workshop to society@ajgs.org.au

The AJGS Newsfeed will promote the Australian Jewish Genealogical Society and highlight interesting stories, links and discoveries from the world of Jewish Genealogy.

This newsfeed will NOT replace our Kosher Koala Newsletter. We hope the newsfeed and the newsletter will work together to help us help you with your genealogical detective work by sharing the most interesting and useful stories from around the world in a timely manner.

To read the latest issue of Kosher Koala: CLICK HERE
To read back issues of Kosher Koala: CLICK HERE

If you have any news, a great success story or an exciting new link you would like to share please email us at ed@ajgs.org.au